A superlative is the form of an adjective or adverb that’s used to show that someone or something has the extreme or unsurpassed level of a particular quality – more than anyone or anything else.
We use superlatives when we’re comparing more than two items, people, and places etc. We use the comparative form when comparing two.
Superlatives are usually formed by adding the suffix ‘-est’ (e.g. fastest) or the word ‘most’ (e.g. most delicious).
Never use ‘most’ and ‘–est’ together – e.g. ‘most hungriest’, ‘most funniest’ and ‘most kindest’ 🙂
Example sentences using superlatives
The coldest place on earth is in Antarctica.
The Sahara desert and the Gobi desert are two of the hottest places on earth.
That was the easiest English exam ever!
My grandmother is the wisest person I know.
What’s the saddest movie you’ve ever watched?
She was the most attractive woman in the room.
Delhi is one of the most crowded cities in the world.
100 English superlatives
- the best
- the biggest
- the bluest
- the bravest
- the busiest
- the cleverest
- the coldest
- the driest
- the easiest
- the fastest
- the fattest
- the funniest
- the gentlest
- the happiest
- the healthiest
- the highest
- the hottest
- the kindest
- the largest
- the latest
- the longest
- the loudest
- the luckiest
- the meanest
- the nicest
- the oldest
- the prettiest
- the quickest
- the quietest
- the richest
- the saddest
- the safest
- the shortest
- the simplest
- the smallest
- the smartest
- the strangest
- the strongest
- the tallest
- the thinnest
- the weakest
- the wettest
- the wisest
- the worst
- the youngest
- the most admirable
- the most athletic
- the most attractive
- the most amusing
- the most awesome
- the most beautiful
- the most boring
- the most careful
- the most caring
- the most charming
- the most clever
- the most comfortable
- the most complicated
- the most crowded
- the most daring
- the most dependable
- the most difficult
- the most economical
- the most efficient
- the most embarrassing
- the most exciting
- the most expensive
- the most extraordinary
- the most extroverted
- the most famous
- the most forgetful
- the most fragrant
- the most funny
- the most generous
- the most gentle
- the most graceful
- the most grateful
- the most important
- the most inspirational
- the most intelligent
- the most interesting
- the most introverted
- the most irritating
- the most modern
- the most musical
- the most organized
- the most original
- the most peaceful
- the most photogenic
- the most pleasant
- the most popular
- the most talented
- the most talkative
- the most thoughtful
- the most trustworthy
- the most unforgettable
- the most valuable
Examples of irregular superlatives
98. good – the best
99. bad – the worst
100. far – the farthest/furthest
Everything by Alanis Morissette – listen out for the superlatives she uses in her song (some of them are in the extracts below the video)
Extracts:
I am the wisest woman you’ve ever met.
I am the kindest soul with whom you’ve connected.
I have the bravest heart that you’ve ever seen
And you’ve never met anyone
Who’s as positive as I am sometimes.
I’m the funniest woman that you’ve ever known
I’m the dullest woman that you’ve ever known
I’m the most gorgeous woman that you’ve ever known
And you’ve never met anyone
Who is as everything as I am sometimes.
Thanks Angela. Even for a native English person, it’s good to be reminded about our language – it’s rules and idiosyncratic ways, it’s structure and richness. Because of this, I used to love learning English when I was at school. It was like having a History lesson as well.
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